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Published: Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 / Updated: Monday, Oct. 22, 2012 10:51 AM

Writer is correct: We may become irrelevant

Writer hit the nail

I want to congratulate Jim Coulson for submitting his poignant On My Mind column, “America can soon become irrelevant.”

Jim hit it right on the nail outlining the difference between the wages and benefits of federal employees and those of us in the private sector. The old conventional wisdom that government employees endured less pay but enjoyed better benefits than their private sector peers is simply no longer true. Our federal government needs to mend our social contract and reduce the compensation disparity between federal employees and those of us in the private sector. Converting all new federal employees retirement plans into typical private sector 401(k)s would be a step in the right direction.

I also tend to agree with another of Mr. Coulson’s observations: “If you study the make-up of America today you will find two major classes of people who dominate the direction of the country. It would be the bureaucrats (those on the government dole) and the dependent class (more of those on the government dole). These two together would comprise an electoral majority.”

This is a sad observation, but again, Mr. Coulson is probably correct.

Lastly I would amend Mr. Coulson’s article and add a third minority group: the responsible, hard-working, law abiding, independent, self-sufficient, proud people that actually make this Republic function. These are now the disenfranchised and growingly disillusioned people who are growing weary of pulling America’s wagon.

Chris Krafft

Fort Mill